The I-40 Bridge Disaster
Encyclopedia
The I-40 bridge disaster was a bridge collapse that occurred southeast of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma
on May 26, 2002. Joe Dedmon, captain of the tugboat Robert Y. Love, experienced a blackout and lost control of the ship. This, in turn, caused the barge he was controlling to collide with a bridge support. The result was a 580 feet (176.78 m) section of the Interstate 40
bridge plunging into Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River
. Fourteen people died when several automobiles and tractor trailers fell from the bridge.
Rescue efforts were complicated when a man, William James Clark, impersonating a US Army Captain, was able to take command of the disaster scene for two days. Mr Clark's efforts included directing FBI agents and appropriating vehicles and equipment for the rescue effort, before fleeing the scene. Mr. Clark, already a two time felon, was later apprehended in Canada.
An estimated million vehicles per day were rerouted for about two months while crews rebuilt the bridge. Traffic resumed Monday, July 29, 2002, only two months after the disaster. The reopening set a new national record for such a project, which would normally be expected to take six months.
On Memorial Day
of 2003, that year on May 26, a memorial statue was dedicated by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry
in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. The artist, Shahla Rahimi-Reynolds, created the sculpture and attended the dedication. The Cherokee Children's Choir performed songs in their native language during the dedication they were introduced by Chad Smith — Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation
.
Webbers Falls, Oklahoma
Webbers Falls is a town in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 726 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a 7 foot falls in the Arkansas River, itself named in honor of Walter Webber, a Cherokee leader who lived there in the early 19th Century.-The I-40 Bridge Disaster:The...
on May 26, 2002. Joe Dedmon, captain of the tugboat Robert Y. Love, experienced a blackout and lost control of the ship. This, in turn, caused the barge he was controlling to collide with a bridge support. The result was a 580 feet (176.78 m) section of the Interstate 40
Interstate 40 in Oklahoma
Interstate 40 is an Interstate Highway in Oklahoma that runs 331 miles across the state from Texas to Arkansas. West of Oklahoma City, it parallels and replaces Old US-66, and east of Oklahoma City, it parallels US-62, US-266 and US-64.Cities along the route include Erick, Sayre, Elk City,...
bridge plunging into Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
. Fourteen people died when several automobiles and tractor trailers fell from the bridge.
Rescue efforts were complicated when a man, William James Clark, impersonating a US Army Captain, was able to take command of the disaster scene for two days. Mr Clark's efforts included directing FBI agents and appropriating vehicles and equipment for the rescue effort, before fleeing the scene. Mr. Clark, already a two time felon, was later apprehended in Canada.
An estimated million vehicles per day were rerouted for about two months while crews rebuilt the bridge. Traffic resumed Monday, July 29, 2002, only two months after the disaster. The reopening set a new national record for such a project, which would normally be expected to take six months.
On Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
of 2003, that year on May 26, a memorial statue was dedicated by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry
Brad Henry
Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...
in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. The artist, Shahla Rahimi-Reynolds, created the sculpture and attended the dedication. The Cherokee Children's Choir performed songs in their native language during the dedication they were introduced by Chad Smith — Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...
.
See also
- List of bridge disasters
- List of crossings of the Arkansas River
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train plunged off bridge that had been hit by a barge.